Jail for Barking brothers after spree of train station mobile phone thefts
Brothers Bruno (left) and Regan Mambo, from Barking, have been jailed for a spate of mobile phone thefts - Credit: Archant
Two brothers’ spree of mobile phone thefts at train stations has ended in both being jailed.
Regan Mambo, 22, and his brother Bruno, 24, worked as a team to target passengers at east London stations and people from Newham have been the victims.
The brothers, of Crouch Avenue, Barking, stole a 17-year-old’s phone from Upney station on March 9 and the following day stole a 34-year-old man’s phone at East India DLR station and a 24-year-old woman’s phone at All Saints DLR - all who were from Newham.
The duo would wait on the station platform for a train to arrive and then jump onboard, snatch a passenger’s phone or tablet and then jump off and run away.
They were caught after officers discovered that Bruno had sold one of the stolen phones to a shop and he and Regan were identified from CCTV footage at the train stations.
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Bruno denied 13 counts of theft but a jury found him guilty and he was sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court on Thursday (19) to three years in prison and received a two-year anti-social behaviour order (ASBO).
Regan pleaded guilty to 12 counts of theft and was jailed for 22 months with a two-year ASBO, which bans both the men from entering any Tube or DLR station as well as Dagenham Dock mainline station.
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The sentencing comes as British Transport Police launches a new operation to crack down on theft of personal property and have issued video clips (available at btp.police.uk/theft) to raise awareness of thieves’ common tactics.
Det Con Paul Boreham said: “There are lots of things that passengers can do to make sure they protect themselves from thieves. Remember to zip up your bags and carry them in front of you, keep your jewellery, mobile phones and MP3 players hidden and stay alert to what’s going on around you.”
